Questions and consequences in Iraq

Brian Bresnahan:

At a minimum, at least every six months or so, we should ask ourselves if Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists are right? Not in ideology, but in strategy. Do they pursue a proper strategy for victory over the United States?

Their strategy has always been to defeat America with “the death of a thousand cuts,” to defeat the will of the American people. They believe our nation is weak and that we can not sustain ourselves during a prolonged fight while suffering casualties. They often cite our actions, the defeat of the American will, in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia as examples.

So, are they right? Do we possess a weak national resolve? Are we unable to endure a tough, prolonged fight, even against an enemy whose stated goal is our destruction?

The war against terror is not over and the outcome undecided, but we give them no reason to doubt the potential success of their strategy.

The plethora of proposed Senate resolutions against the war on terror in Iraq, the weekend’s anti-war protest in Washington D.C., and the lopsided coverage of the war in the mainstream media with predictable, resultant poll numbers all lend credence to proving Al Qaeda right.

And while demonstrating to Al Qaeda that they are right, our actions send messages to the rest of the world.

We put the world on notice about our national resolve and we tell the world, once again, to question whether or not we can be counted on to stand with them when times get tough.

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What impact do our actions have on those groups or nations seeking freedom and democracy? All we’ve shown them are the weaknesses of democracy, possible when diligent and courageous souls fail to step forward and execute the mandates of liberty.

Why will others want to ally with us in the future if we add to a track record of not being a reliable partner?

What are the consequences of letting Iran fill the void, the vacuum that’s sure to be left after surrendering in Iraq? Do we really want Iran to fill that void, only to have the Sunni Muslim world object, and then have them fight it out when Iran continues its belligerence? Do we choose sides then then? Are we prepared for the impact on our economy with that much of the oil producing world engaged in all out war?

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There are more questions at the link.

There is a false assumption built into the plans offered in Congress for ending the war in Iraq. The fact is that we can only defeat the enemy or retreat from Iraq. Defeating him will end the war. Retreat will not, but it will give him an opportunity to continue to fight us on more advantageous battlefields. Unfortunately, I think many see short term political gain in our retreat. They do not see the consequences of permitting the enemy to continue to fight in different battle spaces, some of which may be in this country.